Classic Russian propaganda: US rejects claims of meddling in Bangladesh polls
Staff Reporter :
John Kirby, the US Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council, categorically denied Moscow’s allegations of interference in Bangladesh’s internal affairs by Peter Haas, calling it a false and classic Russian propaganda.
He also said that the US would do whatever is needed for holding a free and fair election in Bangladesh to realise the aspiration of the Bangladeshi people.
“Back in the Navy we had a single two-syllable word to describe an allegation like that, which I will spare you from.
I’ll just tell you that it’s absolutely false and the Russians know it’s false. This is just classic Russian propaganda. They know it’s false,” he said.
While responding to the questions of the journalists in Foreign Press Center in the Washington DC on Wednesday, Kirby made the remarks in response to a query of a reporter.
The journalists asked Kirby that Moscow recently accused US Ambassador Peter Haas in Bangladesh, for interfering Bangladesh internal affairs for his engagement with the political parties, civil societies, and the other stakeholders for free and fair election.
While Peter Haas expressed his security concerns in Bangladesh as he is facing violent rhetoric from ruling party leaders.
“We want the same thing the Bangladeshi people want and that’s free and fair elections. And that’s what the ambassador was – and his team was and will continue to work with all sectors of Bangladeshi society, including civil society, including engagement with opposition parties and individuals as well as the sitting government, to work hard to make sure that the democratic aspirations of the Bangladeshi people are respected. That’s what we’re doing,” Kirby said.
During a weekly briefing on November 22, the Russian Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said “We have spoken repeatedly about the attempts by the United States and its allies to influence internal political processes in Bangladesh, ostensibly under the banner of ensuring “transparency and inclusiveness” in the upcoming parliamentary elections there.
Do you understand where the United States is and where Bangladesh is?”
“Information has come to light regarding a meeting at the end of October between US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas and a high-ranking representative of the local opposition. They reportedly discussed plans to organise mass anti-government protests in the country during the meeting,” she said.
Responding such allegation, a US spokesperson on November 25 said, “We are aware of Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova’s deliberate mischaracterization of US foreign policy and ambassador Haas’s meetings.”
“The United States does not support any political party in Bangladesh. Nor does the United States favor one political party over another,” the spokesperson said.
Now John Kirby also reiterated that the US does not side with any political party and want a free and fair election what the Bangladeshi people aspire.
During the briefing he was also asked that India, China, and Russia, according to India Today reports, are on the same side to back Bangladesh authoritarian prime minister, and Bangladesh current regime is moving ahead another one-sided election, crackdown on opposition, and putting opposition in the jail.
